In 2017, the world of film lost director Tobe Hooper. His career was a rollercoaster that brought him to blockbuster heights before sinking into the depths of under-appreciation. He did iconic projects like “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,“ the “Salem’s Lot“ miniseries of 1979, and “Poltergeist.“ And also a little space vampire flick called “Lifeforce,” which is FINALLY getting a 4K remaster!
To put things in context, we have to look at “Lifeforce” in the time it was being made. Hooper had just finished “Poltergeist.” There were rumors the ghostly film was actually directed by its writer and producer, Steven Spielberg. (Spoiler- it was all Hooper, according to Spielberg himself and everyone else on the film in the 4K release’s anniversary documentary.) So when “Lifeforce” came out in 1985, there was some increased pressure to see if it could recapture the success of “Poltergeist.”
It did not.
That is not a fair assessment of Hooper’s talent, nor of the quality of “Lifeforce.” The movie is far removed from Hooper’s previous work in that it’s about vampires from space. No, seriously, it’s based on a book from Colin Wilson called, “The Space Vampires.” The titular “lifeforce” refers to the energy that the vampires feed on from their unsuspecting victims. The space elements and themes help differentiate the film visually and tonally from other vampire stories, something Hooper would’ve been very familiar with from working on “Salem’s Lot.”
Also, our Editor-in-Chief cannot WAIT to see the film’s star Mathilda May in 4K.
The film’s chances of success were not helped by studio interference that hampered the screenplay, the title of the film itself, and the editing process. There are two released edits of the film. A 101-minute theatrical cut that was released to American cinema, and a 116-minute international cut. The former of these had a 4K release back in 2022, but the same couldn’t be said about the extended release. Until now.
Thanks to Arrow Video, “Lifeforce” is getting a brand-new 4K release of both of its cuts. Right now, the release is only announced for the UK, but we’re hopeful we’ll see it state side too. It’s also currently sold out.
“Lifeforce” is a truly underrated gem and is visually arresting in a way that is signature Hooper. We strongly recommend checking it out if you can since there are few films like it in terms of story and quality. Just like this film, Hooper deserved more than what he got, and at least this new release serves as a testament to his talents.
